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American Morning
Increasing Concern Over Possible Attack in U.S.; Illinois Flooding
Aired May 26, 2004 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also this morning, the floodwaters receding in some parts of the Midwest; rising in other parts, though. One of the worst-hit towns is Des Plaines, Illinois. We're going to talk to the town's mayor in just a few minutes and find just out how that community is coping. We've seen some of those pictures. Devastating.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Indeed we have.
Also today, it's time for America to pick another idol. Two southern girls singing their hearts out, hoping to get votes. "90- Second Pop" tackles that a bit later this morning; in fact, this half- hour.
I watched about 15 minutes last night.
O'BRIEN: And who do you vote for?
HEMMER: Well, Simon Cowell, when Fantasia got finished, said you just gave your acceptance speech. So...
O'BRIEN: America votes. It's not Simon, Bill. It's America.
HEMMER: Silly me! I guess that's why I'm not watching.
O'BRIEN: I bet.
HEMMER: Well, anyway, it's down to two, and we'll get to it in "90-Second Pop" in a moment here.
O'BRIEN: Yes, anything could happen.
HEMMER: She's terrific, by the way, Fantasia, excellent.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I think they are both good.
HEMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's get to our top story this morning.
Disrupting potential plots by al Qaeda and other terrorist groups will be the subject today when Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller hold a news conference in Washington, D.C. He just learned -- we just learned, rather, it's going to be at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. It comes as several U.S. officials tell us that intelligence indicates there is increasing concern about another possible major attack here in the United States.
Justice correspondent Kelli Arena has our report this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As Washington, D.C. prepares to secure the dedication of the World War II memorial this weekend, U.S. officials confirm a steady stream of intelligence suggesting a major attack on U.S. soil, possibly as early as this summer.
JOHN MILLER, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: And there's been a drumbeat behind that information of intelligence talking about al Qaeda's continued desire to attack in the United States, either in a way that reflects the Madrid attack against a soft public target, or in a way that falls into the September 11 paradigm.
ARENA: The fact that al Qaeda wants to hit the United States is not new, but officials say the level of corroboration has them concerned. They describe the intelligence as credible, but not very specific -- no date, method or target mentioned.
Big cities that are hosting high-profile events in coming months went out of their way to assure citizens everything possible is being done to disrupt any terror plans.
LT. KEVIN FOLEY, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: To this day, to this time, we have no credible information regarding a terrorist attack here in Boston. Obviously, we're going to continue to work with our state and federal law enforcement partners to closely monitor the possibility of a terrorist attack.
ARENA: Counterterrorism sources tell CNN the FBI is likely to issue be-on-the-lookout alerts for several individuals, but would not elaborate.
(on camera): U.S. officials have no plans at this time to raise the national threat level, but are expected to try to raise national awareness and to outline steps they are taking to prevent a future attack.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: And once again, 2:00 p.m. today for a news conference from Attorney General John Ashcroft and the FBI director, Robert Mueller. We also expect that federal authorities will release photographs and information about terror suspects.
HEMMER: To that spring weather now and spring storms. It has been a wet nightmare for many people in the Midwest. Parts of northern Illinois are seeing the worst flooding there in decades. Many residents are fighting a losing battle against the rising Des Plaines River.
The mayor, Tony Arredia, is with us this morning. And, Mr. Mayor, good morning to you.
MAYOR TONY ARREDIA, DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS: Good morning.
HEMMER: What are your conditions today, sir?
ARREDIA: We had some good news this morning. It looks like the water crest levels have been lowered by two feet. That still doesn't take us out of the danger zone, but it does mean two feet of water that we don't have to worry about, and two feet of water is a lot of water.
HEMMER: You're indeed right about that. Two feet of water could be substantial at this point, given your conditions over the past several days. What about evacuations? What's your guidance today, Mr. Mayor?
ARREDIA: We haven't evacuated anyone. We do have some homes where water is in the garages right now. But we do have evacuation plans if we need them. We've got facilities set up for people, including food and shelter. And right now with the last couple of days we've just been preparing for this water by removing furniture from basements and putting sandbags around homes. We've probably have put about 250,000 bags of sand around.
HEMMER: Wow! That's a heck of an effort so far. It was my understanding late last night you were especially concerned with what's happening in the town of Gurnee, where CNN has been reporting for the past several days, about 25 miles from your location. What are you watching there? And that's significant for you for today?
ARREDIA: Well, what happens in Gurnee usually happens to us a day or two later. The fact that they didn't crest to the level that they were predicted to crest is good news for us. And hopefully, by the time it crests here in Des Plaines, which is supposed to be Friday morning, we're hoping that that water level even drops more. So, if it does drop, the water will probably still be in our streets and our sidewalks and our yards, but it won't be in the homes. And I think that's where the big damage would occur if it went into the homes.
HEMMER: On the same issue here, in the Des Plaines River, and in your town specifically, going back to 1986 and 1987, some 18 years ago, $100 million in damage due to a flood there. No wall has been built since that time. Is that still a debate today? And do you expect the conditions today to be anywhere close to where they were almost two decades ago?
ARREDIA: Well, based on the predictions that I'm hearing now, which is some good news, it may not reach that level, although we still are predicting that we'll probably have some damage. What that damage will be is hard to predict right now.
As far as the flood walls are concerned, that's in the process of being built. But in my opinion, we have been very lax in the government supplying the monies that we need to fix this area up. In my opinion, the money that we lost in Gurnee and the money that could potentially be lost in Des Plaines just for this year would more than pay for what we had to do.
HEMMER: Tony Arredia is the mayor of Des Plaines, Illinois. Good luck to you, and I hope that water says down for you and everybody living there. Thank you, sir.
ARREDIA: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, could an aspirin a day keep a certain type of cancer away? We've got details on that story coming up.
HEMMER: Also in a moment, the last songs have been sung, the votes are in and tonight the new "American Idol" is named. Fantasia or Diana, two southern signers fighting it out. We'll talk about it in "90-Second Pop" after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: I love this song because it's in my range, No. 1. Also because I think it's very appropriate for today. It's "90-Second Pop" on a Wednesday. Today, we're talking about dueling divas, a big whack attack and hot air hits the big screen.
Let's meet all of our players this morning. Toure is a contributing editor for "Rolling Stone." "New York" magazine contributing editor Sarah Bernard joins us as well. And B.J. Sigesmund is a staff editor for "US Weekly."
I got that right, and it really took me, seriously, five months. I'm a slow learner, but eventually I get it. All right, Sarah...
TOURE, "ROLLING STONE": We love you anyway.
O'BRIEN: Thank you. I appreciate that. Your other title for us is our correspondent for "American Idol."
SARAH BERNARD, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Right. My favorite show. What am I going to do without it?
O'BRIEN: That is so sad, but whatever. It's down to two, Fantasia, Diana. Who is your prediction? Fantasia...
BERNARD: I've been saying Fantasia all along. I want some credit for that.
O'BRIEN: OK, you've got it.
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: There you go.
BERNARD: But here's the thing. Diana did a great job in round one. It looked like it was going to go her way yesterday, and then Fantasia just took it with the next two rounds. And everybody agreed. Even Simon said she was the best "Idol" contestant they've ever had.
O'BRIEN: Some people said that age is going to have -- could potentially play a role.
BERNARD: It's true.
O'BRIEN: And depending on who you ask, different roles, like she's so young, that could help her. She so young, that could hurt her.
BERNARD: Exactly. And now, at the end of the evening last night, she's kind of become the underdog. So, the point is that the panel thinks one thing, but that really doesn't matter, because...
O'BRIEN: That's what I told Hemmer this morning that...
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: But they've actually added three different phone lines. Each girl has three lines.
TOURE: Oh!
B.J. SIGESMUND, "US WEEKLY": Make it more fair.
BERNARD: They have a few hours.
O'BRIEN: Is anyone scared how much she knows about this?
TOURE: I know.
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: Hold on, hold on. In the immortal words of William Shatner on "Saturday Night Live," it's just a TV show, this is not news.
SIGESMUND: Oh, please!
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: This is not news.
O'BRIEN: Watch as we turn to "The Sopranos."
TOURE: That's news! Put that show on TV. I mean, that's something. I mean...
O'BRIEN: But Adriana is dead.
TOURE: She's dead, people.
O'BRIEN: Because a lot of people think online that she's not.
TOURE: She's dead. She died on her hands and knees like a dog in the woods. She ratted on the family, and that's what she deserves. BERNARD: You don't think there's any chance for her to come back?
TOURE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) too good. He's not letting...
SIGESMUND: What I think is amazing is how HBO and NBC were all in cahoots to keep this thing a secret. You know, she was cast on "Joey," Matt LeBlanc's new show, months ago. So, it seemed at that point, like, she was going to be killed off. But, no, everyone said no. She signed on for a sixth season. She's coming back. And it was only revealed on Monday that they had been lying.
O'BRIEN: Yes, exactly.
TOURE: But here's the brilliance of Davie Chase, the creator of "The Sopranos," that Adrianna ends in the woods and a moment later Carmela rises again in the woods. She's the phoenix of the females.
O'BRIEN: But you say Carmela had her own little issues, and she could be next in line. Do you think...
BERNARD: There could be.
TOURE: Look, there's no way that you could kill Carmela.
O'BRIEN: No?
TOURE: There is no way you could kill Carmela.
BERNARD: No one is safe on "The Sopranos." I think that's one thing that we've learned.
TOURE: You cannot -- Tony is safe until the last episode. Carmela...
O'BRIEN: It's just a TV show!
TOURE: It's just a TV show, but you cannot kill the mother of his kids.
BERNARD: You're getting all excited.
SIGESMUND: Yes, exactly.
O'BRIEN: Calm down. All right, let's talk movies. "Day after Tomorrow."
SIGESMUND: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Some people -- it's about global warming and how basically the Earth is destroyed.
SIGESMUND: Yes. It's really, really good! Tornadoes come down over Los Angeles. Seriously, the tornadoes come down and wipe out Los Angeles, including the Hollywood sign, and grapefruit-sized hail falls all over Tokyo. O'BRIEN: Oh, no!
SIGESMUND: And, you know, of course, New York, starting with lower Manhattan, very provocatively is flooded.
O'BRIEN: Of course.
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: It's flooded. And you know what? It's really -- I found it really thrilling to watch. I thought it was...
O'BRIEN: The effects are great.
SIGESMUND: The effects are great.
O'BRIEN: Because sometimes some of the promos, I've got to say, it looks a little cheesy.
SIGESMUND: Yes, no, the family drama of Dennis Quaid running into New York to save his son, Jake Jones Haul (ph), that's really soggy. That's really, like, kind of lame.
TOURE: But, you know, what it tells me, though, is that 9/11 is over. Right? We can see New York get destroyed. Right? The widows are dating. The mourning is over. At some point, that chapter ended, and we're in a new one now.
BERNARD: But I don't think I like that. I really -- I don't know if I'm ready to watch New York get destroyed again.
SIGESMUND: You can.
BERNARD: I'm not sure I can.
TOURE: I don't want to see New York destroyed again.
BERNARD: I don't think I can.
TOURE: I'm not ready.
O'BRIEN: You know, I never could watch that.
BERNARD: It's a bad, bad, idea.
O'BRIEN: I never could watch that. There's always been a series of movies about, you know, people coming in and they just ruin the planet.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I just can't watch that.
SIGESMUND: And there's a lot of focus on the Empire State Building. In fact, at one point it freezes solid, and every single window in it smashes and shatters. BERNARD: I don't' want to see that.
TOURE: Yes, I'm know I'm good.
O'BRIEN: That's realistic.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: OK, can I ask you about this movie "Raising Helen?"
SIGESMUND: Yes, this is...
O'BRIEN: What is that about?
SIGESMUND: This is really the female pick for the weekend. This is Kate Hudson. She plays a New York fashionista (ph), who overnight has to become the mom...
O'BRIEN: How many New York fashionistas (ph) are there now?
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: They're everywhere.
SIGESMUND: Well, overnight she becomes a -- she inherits three kids, because her sister dies in a car crash. So, the whole movie is can she...
O'BRIEN: Is it a comedy?
SIGESMUND: Yes, it's kind of a romantic comedy. John Corbett plays the love interest of hers.
BERNARD: Is this kind of like an update of "Baby Boom" with Diane Keaton? Remember that?
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Yes, I think this movie is an out and out rip-off of -- is the word you were searching for -- an out and out rip-off of "Baby Boom," right?
SIGESMUND: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: You get the baby, you grow.
BERNARD: Working mom. But she's a model instead of an office girl.
SIGESMUND: Yes. And she's actually the best part in it, we hear. You know, she's really terrific.
O'BRIEN: I love her. I've got to tell you, I'd see anything, because I absolutely adore her. I think she's great, and I think she's a nice young lady.
BERNARD: And she is a working mom.
O'BRIEN: And she's a working mom now. Good for her.
You guys, as always, thank you.
TOURE: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: We'll see you back here for our next installation. How about that? Let's play the music again, "I Will Survive."
Bill, help us!
HEMMER: I'm trying. Thanks, Soledad.
In a moment here, the most wanted man in Iraq is more wanted today than ever. We'll explain why in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: We start now with Heidi Collins taking a look at some of the other stories making headlines this morning.
Heidi -- good morning again.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Thanks so much, Soledad. And good morning to all of you. It's about 10 minutes before the hour now.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says there is some new information about a potential threat against the U.S., but that there are no plans to raise the nation's terror threat level.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: There is absolutely nothing specific enough that rises to the level where we would presently, today, as we speak, make a recommendation to the president to raise the threat level. What I think it's important for America to know is that we don't need to raise the threat level in order to continue to work every day to improve security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller will hold a press conference later today. They're expected to outline an intensive plan to prevent any attacks.
The State Department may boost the reward money for the capture of terror suspect Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. It is considering raising the bounty from $10 million to $25 million. U.S. officials say Zarqawi has links to al Qaeda and has claimed responsibility for a string of attacks on U.S. troops. Some U.S. officials also believe he is responsible for the beheading of American Nicholas Berg in Iraq.
An artillery shell found in Iraq earlier this month has tested positive for the nerve agent, sarin. Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of the chemical agent. Two American soldiers who found it had symptoms of low-level nerve agent exposure. And now the military is trying to figure out where the sarin came from. David Ensor will have much more on this story coming up just ahead.
In health news now, an aspirin a day could help prevent breast cancer. That's according to a new study appearing in today's "Journal of the American Medical Association." Researchers found women who used aspirin four times a week for three months were 30 percent less likely to develop a hormone-fueled tumor than non-aspirin users. And one of the authors of the study will be here to talk with us coming up next hour.
And in tennis, returning to grand slam single for the first time in 10 years, 47-year-old Martina Navratilova loses to a 19-year-old Gisela Dulko in straight sets at the French Open.
And also, the longest match in the open era at the grand slam. Fabrice Santoro (ph) took 6 hours and 33 minutes to beat Arnolt Senla (ph) 16-14 in the fifth set. How many times you hear a score like that in tennis, 16-14? It lasted forever.
HEMMER: Wow!
O'BRIEN: Six hours.
HEMMER: And poor Martina, huh?
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: I was pulling for her.
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: Forty-seven is the new 21, right?
O'BRIEN: Exactly.
COLLINS: Sure.
HEMMER: And Agassi lost the...
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Wrong.
HEMMER: Wrong?
CAFFERTY: Wrong. That 19-year-old kid beat her like a red- headed stepchild.
HEMMER: Yes, you're right.
CAFFERTY: I watched some of it. I mean, it was terrible.
HEMMER: Just trying to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CAFFERTY: Oh, it was awful.
O'BRIEN: Nineteen is the new 21 apparently.
HEMMER: Yes, exactly.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: So we see. Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Hi, Jack.
CAFFERTY: How are you doing?
O'BRIEN: Good.
CAFFERTY: Bill Cosby is the subject under discussion. He turned up the heat in a couple of speeches he made about race. He talked about the parenting skills and values of low-income blacks in a couple of speeches.
His comments included these: "These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids. $500 sneakers, for what? And won't spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics."
And he said this: "'Brown v. the Board of Education' is no longer the white person's problem."
The question this morning is: Were Bill Cosby's remarks racist or were they right on? Don't you know we touched a couple of buttons with this one.
HEMMER: I bet you did.
O'BRIEN: Shocker.
CAFFERTY: Stan in Montgomery, Alabama: "I'm a 54-year-old African-American male. I agree with Bill Cosby. I'm tired of hearing all the excuses for the high murder rate and drug use in the black community. Today's black youth have access to the best opportunities in the history of the United States; yet, they squander their lives away by trying to live a fantasy based on videos aired by BET and MTV."
Willie in Hampton, Virginia, wrote this: "I knew Bill Cosby when he was a young Temple University student working for tips on Friday nights in the college rat scaler (ph) or dorm basement. His views were very different then. I guess success, wealth and power tend to make one forget their earlier circumstance and make them indifferent toward others who have not made it."
Belver in the Bronx writes: "As an African-American, I agree with what Bill Cosby said. It's not racist to tell people what they need to hear, and African-Americans do need to sit up and take notice, as well as responsibility for our children. Saying the tough words people need to hear is not racist; it's necessary."
And Barbara in Little Rock says: "Mr. Cafferty, it's just like you to get a boost from a statement about African-Americans. Let Bill Cosby say what he feels is necessary, but you need to shut up and work for Fox News. Why is this such news for you?"
Thank you, Barbara.
O'BRIEN: Barbara, it's news all over the place, for one thing.
CAFFERTY: Barbara...
O'BRIEN: But I do think people have a point when they say it's very easy to pick on poor, single, black moms, you know, who are working three jobs, trying to keep their kids fed in the projects. I mean, it's kind of an easy target. Whether it's -- what was the question? Right on or racist, I'm not sure, but...
HEMMER: The point is when someone as proud as Bill Cosby raise issues like these, people talk about it.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: And that's where...
O'BRIEN: Barbara, with all due respect.
HEMMER: And you're not going (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this week, are you, Jack?
O'BRIEN: I got you back today, Jack.
HEMMER: Come on, you're not going anywhere.
CAFFERTY: I'm just listening. I'm trying to learn something here. That's why I show up here every morning. I want to learn something.
HEMMER: Let's break here. In a moment, in our next hour, how big is al Qaeda? An elusive question now. A new report out gives what some consider a startling number. Back in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, some serious charges being put forward by Kobe Bryan's attorneys. We'll talk about that in our next hour right here on AMERICAN MORNING. We're back in a moment.
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Aired May 26, 2004 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also this morning, the floodwaters receding in some parts of the Midwest; rising in other parts, though. One of the worst-hit towns is Des Plaines, Illinois. We're going to talk to the town's mayor in just a few minutes and find just out how that community is coping. We've seen some of those pictures. Devastating.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Indeed we have.
Also today, it's time for America to pick another idol. Two southern girls singing their hearts out, hoping to get votes. "90- Second Pop" tackles that a bit later this morning; in fact, this half- hour.
I watched about 15 minutes last night.
O'BRIEN: And who do you vote for?
HEMMER: Well, Simon Cowell, when Fantasia got finished, said you just gave your acceptance speech. So...
O'BRIEN: America votes. It's not Simon, Bill. It's America.
HEMMER: Silly me! I guess that's why I'm not watching.
O'BRIEN: I bet.
HEMMER: Well, anyway, it's down to two, and we'll get to it in "90-Second Pop" in a moment here.
O'BRIEN: Yes, anything could happen.
HEMMER: She's terrific, by the way, Fantasia, excellent.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I think they are both good.
HEMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's get to our top story this morning.
Disrupting potential plots by al Qaeda and other terrorist groups will be the subject today when Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller hold a news conference in Washington, D.C. He just learned -- we just learned, rather, it's going to be at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. It comes as several U.S. officials tell us that intelligence indicates there is increasing concern about another possible major attack here in the United States.
Justice correspondent Kelli Arena has our report this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As Washington, D.C. prepares to secure the dedication of the World War II memorial this weekend, U.S. officials confirm a steady stream of intelligence suggesting a major attack on U.S. soil, possibly as early as this summer.
JOHN MILLER, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: And there's been a drumbeat behind that information of intelligence talking about al Qaeda's continued desire to attack in the United States, either in a way that reflects the Madrid attack against a soft public target, or in a way that falls into the September 11 paradigm.
ARENA: The fact that al Qaeda wants to hit the United States is not new, but officials say the level of corroboration has them concerned. They describe the intelligence as credible, but not very specific -- no date, method or target mentioned.
Big cities that are hosting high-profile events in coming months went out of their way to assure citizens everything possible is being done to disrupt any terror plans.
LT. KEVIN FOLEY, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: To this day, to this time, we have no credible information regarding a terrorist attack here in Boston. Obviously, we're going to continue to work with our state and federal law enforcement partners to closely monitor the possibility of a terrorist attack.
ARENA: Counterterrorism sources tell CNN the FBI is likely to issue be-on-the-lookout alerts for several individuals, but would not elaborate.
(on camera): U.S. officials have no plans at this time to raise the national threat level, but are expected to try to raise national awareness and to outline steps they are taking to prevent a future attack.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: And once again, 2:00 p.m. today for a news conference from Attorney General John Ashcroft and the FBI director, Robert Mueller. We also expect that federal authorities will release photographs and information about terror suspects.
HEMMER: To that spring weather now and spring storms. It has been a wet nightmare for many people in the Midwest. Parts of northern Illinois are seeing the worst flooding there in decades. Many residents are fighting a losing battle against the rising Des Plaines River.
The mayor, Tony Arredia, is with us this morning. And, Mr. Mayor, good morning to you.
MAYOR TONY ARREDIA, DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS: Good morning.
HEMMER: What are your conditions today, sir?
ARREDIA: We had some good news this morning. It looks like the water crest levels have been lowered by two feet. That still doesn't take us out of the danger zone, but it does mean two feet of water that we don't have to worry about, and two feet of water is a lot of water.
HEMMER: You're indeed right about that. Two feet of water could be substantial at this point, given your conditions over the past several days. What about evacuations? What's your guidance today, Mr. Mayor?
ARREDIA: We haven't evacuated anyone. We do have some homes where water is in the garages right now. But we do have evacuation plans if we need them. We've got facilities set up for people, including food and shelter. And right now with the last couple of days we've just been preparing for this water by removing furniture from basements and putting sandbags around homes. We've probably have put about 250,000 bags of sand around.
HEMMER: Wow! That's a heck of an effort so far. It was my understanding late last night you were especially concerned with what's happening in the town of Gurnee, where CNN has been reporting for the past several days, about 25 miles from your location. What are you watching there? And that's significant for you for today?
ARREDIA: Well, what happens in Gurnee usually happens to us a day or two later. The fact that they didn't crest to the level that they were predicted to crest is good news for us. And hopefully, by the time it crests here in Des Plaines, which is supposed to be Friday morning, we're hoping that that water level even drops more. So, if it does drop, the water will probably still be in our streets and our sidewalks and our yards, but it won't be in the homes. And I think that's where the big damage would occur if it went into the homes.
HEMMER: On the same issue here, in the Des Plaines River, and in your town specifically, going back to 1986 and 1987, some 18 years ago, $100 million in damage due to a flood there. No wall has been built since that time. Is that still a debate today? And do you expect the conditions today to be anywhere close to where they were almost two decades ago?
ARREDIA: Well, based on the predictions that I'm hearing now, which is some good news, it may not reach that level, although we still are predicting that we'll probably have some damage. What that damage will be is hard to predict right now.
As far as the flood walls are concerned, that's in the process of being built. But in my opinion, we have been very lax in the government supplying the monies that we need to fix this area up. In my opinion, the money that we lost in Gurnee and the money that could potentially be lost in Des Plaines just for this year would more than pay for what we had to do.
HEMMER: Tony Arredia is the mayor of Des Plaines, Illinois. Good luck to you, and I hope that water says down for you and everybody living there. Thank you, sir.
ARREDIA: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, could an aspirin a day keep a certain type of cancer away? We've got details on that story coming up.
HEMMER: Also in a moment, the last songs have been sung, the votes are in and tonight the new "American Idol" is named. Fantasia or Diana, two southern signers fighting it out. We'll talk about it in "90-Second Pop" after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: I love this song because it's in my range, No. 1. Also because I think it's very appropriate for today. It's "90-Second Pop" on a Wednesday. Today, we're talking about dueling divas, a big whack attack and hot air hits the big screen.
Let's meet all of our players this morning. Toure is a contributing editor for "Rolling Stone." "New York" magazine contributing editor Sarah Bernard joins us as well. And B.J. Sigesmund is a staff editor for "US Weekly."
I got that right, and it really took me, seriously, five months. I'm a slow learner, but eventually I get it. All right, Sarah...
TOURE, "ROLLING STONE": We love you anyway.
O'BRIEN: Thank you. I appreciate that. Your other title for us is our correspondent for "American Idol."
SARAH BERNARD, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Right. My favorite show. What am I going to do without it?
O'BRIEN: That is so sad, but whatever. It's down to two, Fantasia, Diana. Who is your prediction? Fantasia...
BERNARD: I've been saying Fantasia all along. I want some credit for that.
O'BRIEN: OK, you've got it.
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: There you go.
BERNARD: But here's the thing. Diana did a great job in round one. It looked like it was going to go her way yesterday, and then Fantasia just took it with the next two rounds. And everybody agreed. Even Simon said she was the best "Idol" contestant they've ever had.
O'BRIEN: Some people said that age is going to have -- could potentially play a role.
BERNARD: It's true.
O'BRIEN: And depending on who you ask, different roles, like she's so young, that could help her. She so young, that could hurt her.
BERNARD: Exactly. And now, at the end of the evening last night, she's kind of become the underdog. So, the point is that the panel thinks one thing, but that really doesn't matter, because...
O'BRIEN: That's what I told Hemmer this morning that...
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: But they've actually added three different phone lines. Each girl has three lines.
TOURE: Oh!
B.J. SIGESMUND, "US WEEKLY": Make it more fair.
BERNARD: They have a few hours.
O'BRIEN: Is anyone scared how much she knows about this?
TOURE: I know.
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: Hold on, hold on. In the immortal words of William Shatner on "Saturday Night Live," it's just a TV show, this is not news.
SIGESMUND: Oh, please!
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: This is not news.
O'BRIEN: Watch as we turn to "The Sopranos."
TOURE: That's news! Put that show on TV. I mean, that's something. I mean...
O'BRIEN: But Adriana is dead.
TOURE: She's dead, people.
O'BRIEN: Because a lot of people think online that she's not.
TOURE: She's dead. She died on her hands and knees like a dog in the woods. She ratted on the family, and that's what she deserves. BERNARD: You don't think there's any chance for her to come back?
TOURE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) too good. He's not letting...
SIGESMUND: What I think is amazing is how HBO and NBC were all in cahoots to keep this thing a secret. You know, she was cast on "Joey," Matt LeBlanc's new show, months ago. So, it seemed at that point, like, she was going to be killed off. But, no, everyone said no. She signed on for a sixth season. She's coming back. And it was only revealed on Monday that they had been lying.
O'BRIEN: Yes, exactly.
TOURE: But here's the brilliance of Davie Chase, the creator of "The Sopranos," that Adrianna ends in the woods and a moment later Carmela rises again in the woods. She's the phoenix of the females.
O'BRIEN: But you say Carmela had her own little issues, and she could be next in line. Do you think...
BERNARD: There could be.
TOURE: Look, there's no way that you could kill Carmela.
O'BRIEN: No?
TOURE: There is no way you could kill Carmela.
BERNARD: No one is safe on "The Sopranos." I think that's one thing that we've learned.
TOURE: You cannot -- Tony is safe until the last episode. Carmela...
O'BRIEN: It's just a TV show!
TOURE: It's just a TV show, but you cannot kill the mother of his kids.
BERNARD: You're getting all excited.
SIGESMUND: Yes, exactly.
O'BRIEN: Calm down. All right, let's talk movies. "Day after Tomorrow."
SIGESMUND: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Some people -- it's about global warming and how basically the Earth is destroyed.
SIGESMUND: Yes. It's really, really good! Tornadoes come down over Los Angeles. Seriously, the tornadoes come down and wipe out Los Angeles, including the Hollywood sign, and grapefruit-sized hail falls all over Tokyo. O'BRIEN: Oh, no!
SIGESMUND: And, you know, of course, New York, starting with lower Manhattan, very provocatively is flooded.
O'BRIEN: Of course.
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: It's flooded. And you know what? It's really -- I found it really thrilling to watch. I thought it was...
O'BRIEN: The effects are great.
SIGESMUND: The effects are great.
O'BRIEN: Because sometimes some of the promos, I've got to say, it looks a little cheesy.
SIGESMUND: Yes, no, the family drama of Dennis Quaid running into New York to save his son, Jake Jones Haul (ph), that's really soggy. That's really, like, kind of lame.
TOURE: But, you know, what it tells me, though, is that 9/11 is over. Right? We can see New York get destroyed. Right? The widows are dating. The mourning is over. At some point, that chapter ended, and we're in a new one now.
BERNARD: But I don't think I like that. I really -- I don't know if I'm ready to watch New York get destroyed again.
SIGESMUND: You can.
BERNARD: I'm not sure I can.
TOURE: I don't want to see New York destroyed again.
BERNARD: I don't think I can.
TOURE: I'm not ready.
O'BRIEN: You know, I never could watch that.
BERNARD: It's a bad, bad, idea.
O'BRIEN: I never could watch that. There's always been a series of movies about, you know, people coming in and they just ruin the planet.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I just can't watch that.
SIGESMUND: And there's a lot of focus on the Empire State Building. In fact, at one point it freezes solid, and every single window in it smashes and shatters. BERNARD: I don't' want to see that.
TOURE: Yes, I'm know I'm good.
O'BRIEN: That's realistic.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: OK, can I ask you about this movie "Raising Helen?"
SIGESMUND: Yes, this is...
O'BRIEN: What is that about?
SIGESMUND: This is really the female pick for the weekend. This is Kate Hudson. She plays a New York fashionista (ph), who overnight has to become the mom...
O'BRIEN: How many New York fashionistas (ph) are there now?
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: They're everywhere.
SIGESMUND: Well, overnight she becomes a -- she inherits three kids, because her sister dies in a car crash. So, the whole movie is can she...
O'BRIEN: Is it a comedy?
SIGESMUND: Yes, it's kind of a romantic comedy. John Corbett plays the love interest of hers.
BERNARD: Is this kind of like an update of "Baby Boom" with Diane Keaton? Remember that?
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Yes, I think this movie is an out and out rip-off of -- is the word you were searching for -- an out and out rip-off of "Baby Boom," right?
SIGESMUND: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: You get the baby, you grow.
BERNARD: Working mom. But she's a model instead of an office girl.
SIGESMUND: Yes. And she's actually the best part in it, we hear. You know, she's really terrific.
O'BRIEN: I love her. I've got to tell you, I'd see anything, because I absolutely adore her. I think she's great, and I think she's a nice young lady.
BERNARD: And she is a working mom.
O'BRIEN: And she's a working mom now. Good for her.
You guys, as always, thank you.
TOURE: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: We'll see you back here for our next installation. How about that? Let's play the music again, "I Will Survive."
Bill, help us!
HEMMER: I'm trying. Thanks, Soledad.
In a moment here, the most wanted man in Iraq is more wanted today than ever. We'll explain why in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: We start now with Heidi Collins taking a look at some of the other stories making headlines this morning.
Heidi -- good morning again.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Thanks so much, Soledad. And good morning to all of you. It's about 10 minutes before the hour now.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says there is some new information about a potential threat against the U.S., but that there are no plans to raise the nation's terror threat level.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: There is absolutely nothing specific enough that rises to the level where we would presently, today, as we speak, make a recommendation to the president to raise the threat level. What I think it's important for America to know is that we don't need to raise the threat level in order to continue to work every day to improve security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller will hold a press conference later today. They're expected to outline an intensive plan to prevent any attacks.
The State Department may boost the reward money for the capture of terror suspect Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. It is considering raising the bounty from $10 million to $25 million. U.S. officials say Zarqawi has links to al Qaeda and has claimed responsibility for a string of attacks on U.S. troops. Some U.S. officials also believe he is responsible for the beheading of American Nicholas Berg in Iraq.
An artillery shell found in Iraq earlier this month has tested positive for the nerve agent, sarin. Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of the chemical agent. Two American soldiers who found it had symptoms of low-level nerve agent exposure. And now the military is trying to figure out where the sarin came from. David Ensor will have much more on this story coming up just ahead.
In health news now, an aspirin a day could help prevent breast cancer. That's according to a new study appearing in today's "Journal of the American Medical Association." Researchers found women who used aspirin four times a week for three months were 30 percent less likely to develop a hormone-fueled tumor than non-aspirin users. And one of the authors of the study will be here to talk with us coming up next hour.
And in tennis, returning to grand slam single for the first time in 10 years, 47-year-old Martina Navratilova loses to a 19-year-old Gisela Dulko in straight sets at the French Open.
And also, the longest match in the open era at the grand slam. Fabrice Santoro (ph) took 6 hours and 33 minutes to beat Arnolt Senla (ph) 16-14 in the fifth set. How many times you hear a score like that in tennis, 16-14? It lasted forever.
HEMMER: Wow!
O'BRIEN: Six hours.
HEMMER: And poor Martina, huh?
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: I was pulling for her.
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: Forty-seven is the new 21, right?
O'BRIEN: Exactly.
COLLINS: Sure.
HEMMER: And Agassi lost the...
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Wrong.
HEMMER: Wrong?
CAFFERTY: Wrong. That 19-year-old kid beat her like a red- headed stepchild.
HEMMER: Yes, you're right.
CAFFERTY: I watched some of it. I mean, it was terrible.
HEMMER: Just trying to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CAFFERTY: Oh, it was awful.
O'BRIEN: Nineteen is the new 21 apparently.
HEMMER: Yes, exactly.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: So we see. Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Hi, Jack.
CAFFERTY: How are you doing?
O'BRIEN: Good.
CAFFERTY: Bill Cosby is the subject under discussion. He turned up the heat in a couple of speeches he made about race. He talked about the parenting skills and values of low-income blacks in a couple of speeches.
His comments included these: "These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids. $500 sneakers, for what? And won't spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics."
And he said this: "'Brown v. the Board of Education' is no longer the white person's problem."
The question this morning is: Were Bill Cosby's remarks racist or were they right on? Don't you know we touched a couple of buttons with this one.
HEMMER: I bet you did.
O'BRIEN: Shocker.
CAFFERTY: Stan in Montgomery, Alabama: "I'm a 54-year-old African-American male. I agree with Bill Cosby. I'm tired of hearing all the excuses for the high murder rate and drug use in the black community. Today's black youth have access to the best opportunities in the history of the United States; yet, they squander their lives away by trying to live a fantasy based on videos aired by BET and MTV."
Willie in Hampton, Virginia, wrote this: "I knew Bill Cosby when he was a young Temple University student working for tips on Friday nights in the college rat scaler (ph) or dorm basement. His views were very different then. I guess success, wealth and power tend to make one forget their earlier circumstance and make them indifferent toward others who have not made it."
Belver in the Bronx writes: "As an African-American, I agree with what Bill Cosby said. It's not racist to tell people what they need to hear, and African-Americans do need to sit up and take notice, as well as responsibility for our children. Saying the tough words people need to hear is not racist; it's necessary."
And Barbara in Little Rock says: "Mr. Cafferty, it's just like you to get a boost from a statement about African-Americans. Let Bill Cosby say what he feels is necessary, but you need to shut up and work for Fox News. Why is this such news for you?"
Thank you, Barbara.
O'BRIEN: Barbara, it's news all over the place, for one thing.
CAFFERTY: Barbara...
O'BRIEN: But I do think people have a point when they say it's very easy to pick on poor, single, black moms, you know, who are working three jobs, trying to keep their kids fed in the projects. I mean, it's kind of an easy target. Whether it's -- what was the question? Right on or racist, I'm not sure, but...
HEMMER: The point is when someone as proud as Bill Cosby raise issues like these, people talk about it.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: And that's where...
O'BRIEN: Barbara, with all due respect.
HEMMER: And you're not going (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this week, are you, Jack?
O'BRIEN: I got you back today, Jack.
HEMMER: Come on, you're not going anywhere.
CAFFERTY: I'm just listening. I'm trying to learn something here. That's why I show up here every morning. I want to learn something.
HEMMER: Let's break here. In a moment, in our next hour, how big is al Qaeda? An elusive question now. A new report out gives what some consider a startling number. Back in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, some serious charges being put forward by Kobe Bryan's attorneys. We'll talk about that in our next hour right here on AMERICAN MORNING. We're back in a moment.
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